My reflection on Lecture 3: "Multiple Intelligences: Understanding and Applying with Your Students"

 My reflection on Lecture 3: "Multiple Intelligences: Understanding and Applying with Your Students"

Hello everyone,

I hope you are doing great!

Today I'm going to try something different from last time. Thanks to you, I've realized that being a blogger shouldn’t be so boring and dry (shoutout to my two previous posts for that), and I probably should have trusted my gut when I first started posting. So, this one goes out to my fellow classmates, you're doing amazing sweeties !!!!

Today’s lecture is on a topic we’ve already covered in other subjects but one that still holds interest for many of us (as it should): Multiple Intelligences 

As we all know, multiple intelligences is a theory by Howard Gardner, in which he suggests that intelligence isn't a single, uniform ability, but a range of different types, each significant in its own way. According to him, there are 9 intelligences: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic, and existential. This theory implies that people have unique learning styles aligned with their dominant intelligences. 

It truly amazes me how our brain decides to grasp information in some ways and decline it in others. However, personally speaking, I understand. Being a student has made me realize that it is really difficult to learn a large amount of new information over a short period of time. Each of us has struggled in our own different ways, but hey, here we are! That means we’ve learned a thing or two about ourselves. Each of us has discovered his or her own way of absorbing new information, whether by taking notes, reading out loud, watching explanatory videos on YouTube about the topic, running around the house, or even dancing while learning. And according to Gardner, once we have found our unique learning style, we have also come to know our dominant intelligences. Finding your strength and then using it to your advantage, to me, is a superpower!

Because of our unique learning styles and how different they are from one another, it is often difficult to learn in environments with large groups of people, such as classrooms or auditoriums. Not only is it difficult for students to remain focused and try to learn new information in their own ways, but it is also challenging for teachers to keep up with every student’s needs. But every student needs to be heard and cared about, right? That's why we, as new teachers, need to come up with new ideas and suggestions, considering the many opportunities technology has offered us. Just as Professor Daniela and other professors before her have done, we should also try to find out our students' intelligences by providing them with Multiple Intelligences tests, and then try to include as many activities related to their dominant intelligences in our next class. Will it be difficult at first? Yes. But will it also be effective and fun? Absolutely YES!

To conclude, I think it is very important for each student to discover who they really are, what fields they thrive in, and where they excel. After all, being bad in one area doesn’t mean you won’t find yourself excelling in another. It's all about self-discovery, and we, as teachers, should emphasize how vital it is

Until the next post,

toodles!

My reflection on Lecture 2:"Recent Developments in Technology and Language Learning: A Literature Review and Meta-analysis" by Yong Zhao

 My reflection on Lecture 2:"Recent Developments in Technology and Language Learning: A Literature Review and Meta-analysis" by Yong Zhao

Lecture two, "Recent Developments in Technology and Language Learning: A Literature Review and Meta-analysis" by Yong Zhao, continues to focus on the evolving role of technology in language education, particularly in second language acquisition. The lecture offers a detailed examination of how traditional language teaching methods have given way to more modern, technology-enhanced approaches. Zhao explores various dimensions of this transformation, including historical developments, the impact of multimedia and interactive tools, and advances in speech recognition and communication technologies. This analysis encouraged me to reflect both on my experiences as a learner and on my future role as a teacher.

As I look back on my own journey of learning a second language, I recall that I was extremely excited by the opportunities it provided, TV shows, mobile apps, and other media that helped me connect with the world. These platforms offered fun ways to engage with the language outside the classroom. However, the classroom experience itself felt much more strict and traditional, focused on teacher-centered activities like completing worksheets, memorizing dialogues, and repeating vocabulary. Of course, these methods served their purpose at the time, but they often felt monotonous, and it’s clear that they lacked the interactive engagement that current technologies now offer.

With the advancements available to us today, teachers have a much greater ability to create engaging  learning classrooms. It would be such a missed opportunity to continue relying on outdated methods when we now have access to numerous digital tools that can make language learning far more interactive and enjoyable. As teachers, we should adjust to these changes to make sure that learning a new language is not only effective but also fun for both young and adult learners.

This lecture made me realize how important it is to embrace technological advancements in education. These tools can greatly improve the learning experience and help both students and teachers achieve better outcomes in language acquisition :)

My reflection on Lecture 1: "Technology in Language Teaching

 My reflection on Lecture 1: "Technology in Language Teaching

Lecture 1, "Technology in Language Teaching," gave us a great starting point by introducing how technology has influenced language teaching. What stood out to me was the way it emphasized the progression from ancient writing systems to the digital tools we use today. It really made me realize how far we've come, from chalk and blackboards to interactive multimedia platforms and CALL (Computer-Assisted Language Learning). The changes over time have truly transformed both education and our daily lives.

Reading about key technological advancements like phonographs, audio cassettes, and multimedia platforms made me think about how much teaching methods and tools have changed over the years with the help of technology. When I compare what we use now to what was available even a few years ago, it’s clear how fast things are changing. For example, my sister, who’s 29 and recently finished her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, is always amazed when she sees the assignments and presentations I create for my Master’s program. Back when she was a student, the main tools they used were a whiteboard or blackboard, and now we’re using smartboards, laptops, and have access to the internet in nearly every class.

Of course, as mentioned in the lecture there are plenty of challenges and obstacles the education system goes through in order to incorporate all of the new technologies, but the fact that all of this has happened in a matter of years shows just how fast teaching, especially in language education, is evolving. It's exciting to see how technology has recently made learning more engaging and effective and it's even more exciting to know that there's more to come!